1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a digital multifunction peripheral device, an image processing method, and a program, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program, capable of performing variable printing in a clearly distinguishable form.
2. Description of the Related Art
A printing mode called variable printing is known. In the variable printing, a variable page (which may include, for example, a photographic image, a decorated character, etc.) and a master page serving as a background image are printed in a combined form. In practical variable printing, one master page and a plurality of variable pages are prepared, and each variable page is automatically combined with the common master page. The details of the variable printing are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-342039.
However, in the conventional variable printing technique, it is not easy to determine whether good distinguishability between a master page and a variable page is achieved in the overall page obtained as a combination of the variable page and the master page. Therefore, when a similar color is used for both the master page and the variable page, a boundary between the master page and the variable page in the resultant overall page becomes unclear. As a result, the variable page becomes visually indistinguishable from the master page or the master page becomes visually indistinguishable from the variable page.
Although it is rather easy for a user to adjust so that one variable page is distinguishable from one master page, it is very difficult and troublesome for a user to make adjustment for many variable pages.